Wind & Water
by mollytov
Summary: Spring has arrived in New York City and it has brought with it the winds of change.
1. A Spark

The strange, makeshift room in the center of Bryant Park was absolutely buzzing with excitement. The air inside felt charged with electricity, as though a sudden spark would send everything instantly up in flames. Girls in couture dresses floated by on a runway of glass as camera shudders snapped from all directions. The sound of tinkling glasses and excited chatter filled every inch of available space the voluminous tent had to offer, leaving little room for anything else. It was the intoxicating, desirable madness that only Fashion Week could bring.

Daniel Meade stood off to one side of the enormous tent; a silent observer to the noisy, glamorous scene. As expected, Fashion Week had been a whirlwind; late nights, extra stress, moments of panic, battles of wills. But now that it was coming to an end, he had mixed emotions. Part of him was relieved, but at the same time, another part of him was somewhat sad that it was over. It was like cooling off after a sudden rush of adrenaline. He always missed the rush.

His eyes scanned the crowd, silently admiring the bright colors and rich textures that this otherworldly place had to offer. He paused on a group of people who were laughing and talking animatedly. A familiar voice caught his attention, waking him from his silent revelry. He smiled as he recognized the clear, vibrant tone of Betty's voice. There was no mistaking it. Without even seeing her face, he could pick out her voice from a crowd of a hundred noisy people. The sound immediately made him smile. Betty always had that effect on him. She was his own personal ray of sunshine. He made a mental note not to ever voice that out loud to anyone.

He soon spotted her amongst the group. He chuckled quietly to himself, admiring the irony that Betty's voice had been the first thing to catch his attention, not her brightly colored outfit. He smiled at the thought of how much she had grown on him these past couple of years. He had even started to like some of her bizarre clothing choices.

At that moment, Betty turned and caught him staring at her. Her face lit up in a smile and she hurried over to where he was standing. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a huge hug. He blushed, hesitating momentarily before returning the gesture. He hated that his return hugs were always so tentative. In comparison to Betty's genuine, uninhibited affection, his attempts at intimacy always seemed feeble. He wanted to give her more, to show her how much she meant to him, but he had never been good at expressing his emotions.

"Daniel!" She beamed. "I've been looking everywhere for you. What are you doing hiding in the corner?"

"I'm not hiding," he began, his voice a bit raspy from lack of use. "I'm just admiring all of our hard work. And perhaps taking a bit of a break in the process," he added with a grin.

"Well you should be proud, Daniel. Everything looks amazing," Betty praised him. "This has to be the best Mode fashion show we've ever done."

"Well, I couldn't have done it without you, Betty."

"It was a team effort," she beamed.

She scrutinized his face as he smiled dreamily at her.

"Daniel, are you okay?" She asked. "You seem a bit out of sorts."

"I'm fine," he assured her. "I'm just thinking."

She raised a skeptical eyebrow. She wasn't buying his answer.

"Why don't we step outside and get some air?" She suggested. "It'll be quieter out there; a much better place for thinking."

He smiled and nodded, accepting her offer.

Grabbing him by the hand, she ducked under one of the side flaps in the tent and pulled him out into the darkened park. The cool night air washed over them like a wave. The gentle quiet of the park was a stark contrast to the noisy, charged atmosphere in the tent.

Daniel took a few steps away from the glowing tent and gazed up into the night sky, inhaling a deep breath as he did so. Betty followed him silently. Somewhere not far in the distance, they heard a live band begin to play. The jazzy melody floated across the park toward them. The spring breeze mingled the tune with notes of freshly cut grass and daffodils. Suddenly, the space surrounding them became perfumed with music and springtime.

Daniel turned around to face Betty and gave her a crooked smile.

"Would you care to dance?" He asked with a mischievous grin. He didn't know what had come over him.

"Daniel, don't be ridiculous," she responded, swatting at his arm.

But before she could pull her hand away, he boldly grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her close to him. It was a gesture that surprised both of them. Betty's breath caught in her throat.

"I wasn't making a joke," he said with intensity in his eyes. He had no idea where any of this was coming from.

"Please, Betty. Dance with me?"

She nodded in stunned silence.

Without thinking, Daniel gently slipped his free hand around her waist and interlaced the fingers of his left hand with hers. Pulling her even closer, he began swaying to the music, leading her along with him.

Betty smiled as the shock began to wear off. She cautiously allowed her body to relax. Slowly she began to feel more comfortable in his arms. She was actually having fun. He was a very good dancer. She was somewhat surprised by this fact. She never knew he could dance. And she certainly never imagined that one day she would find out first hand.

Daniel beamed at her as he led them around the make-shift dance floor. His expression was carefree, childlike. Betty smiled back, all of her cares melting away. For the moment, nothing else mattered and she let herself get lost in the music. It was as though this place, this song, this moment in time, existed only for them.

The melody was beautiful. What song it was, she did not know, but she willed her mind to remember it, to take in each note and commit it to memory. That way, years from now, she could unlock the memory and play the song again whenever she wanted; this mysterious song, lovingly delivered to them on a wisp of spring wind.

The song eventually ended, but Daniel did not release her. He stood there, holding her in his arms, staring admiringly at her.

"Thank you for the dance, Daniel," she said, breaking the silence. "I'd forgotten how much I enjoy dancing," she told him. There was a slight hint of nervousness in her voice. It wasn't every day that she slow danced with her boss.

"No, thank _you_," he responded.

He continued to hold her gaze. The intensity in his eyes locked her in place. Even if she had wanted to move, she couldn't.

Before she knew what was happening, Daniel leaned down and placed a soft, gentle kiss on her lips. It was nothing, just the tiniest peck on the lips, but it was so tender, so heartfelt, so full of emotion that it almost knocked her off her feet.

Her heart raced and her lips tingled from the brief, but heated contact. She stared up at him in disbelief, not quite knowing what to think. His face turned seven shades of crimson as he dropped his gaze in the general direction of his shoes. The boldness he had felt before was instantly gone. He had no idea what in Heaven or on Earth had possessed him. He hoped he hadn't scared her.

"Maybe we should call it a night," he suggested.

Betty nodded, still not able to find her voice.

"I'll have the town car pull around," he offered sheepishly. He squeezed her hand gently as he took a few steps back and then reluctantly turned to head off in search of the car. Betty watched his retreating form as it disappeared into the night. She was still unable to move. Her skin was hypersensitive and felt electrified with each touch of the soft breeze.

"How was it possible that one tiny, insignificant kiss had done this to her?" Her left brain asked the right.

Regaining some control of her limbs, she forced herself to walk over to a park bench and sit down. It didn't help. Her head was still reeling.

"What did all this mean?" She wondered. "Did it mean anything?"

She was afraid of the answer.

At this point, her rational mind took over. It had been a very long week. Daniel was exhausted, as was she. People did strange things, out of character things, when they were exhausted. Daniel would never do something like this under ordinary circumstances. A momentary lapse of judgment on his part, that's all it had been. She felt a faint hint of something akin to disappointment, but shrugged it off.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't hear Daniel return.

"Betty, are you okay?" He asked, causing her to jump slightly.

"Yes," she squeaked, scrambling to her feet.

"The car is just around the corner. I can take you home if you'd like."

"Yes. Thank you," she said in her most professional sounding voice.

She walked unsteadily alongside him as they made their way toward the car. It took all of her concentration just to stay on her feet. She wasn't sure when the simple act of walking had become so hard. She hated that she was suddenly so uncomfortable around him.

Daniel helped her into the town car. She was sure he could feel her hand shaking as he did so. She slid as far over in the seat as she possibly could without it being too obvious that she was trying to keep her distance. He settled himself into the seat next to her, recognizing and respecting her decision to put space between them.

They rode in silence for a while, but traffic was bad and it was shaping up to be a very long drive. Daniel decided he couldn't handle the quiet for as long as it might take them to get home, so he spoke up first.

"Betty, I'm sorry if I crossed the line back there in the park," he began somewhat hesitantly. "I don't know what came over me. I hope you can forgive me. I never meant to make you uncomfortable."

"No, Daniel," she began; now feeling bad that she had reacted so intensely to the whole situation. "You don't need to apologize."

She looked away from him and out the dark window, her stomach knotting a little as she forced herself to continue.

"You're exhausted. It didn't mean anything. I know that. Don't worry about it."

She was trying very hard to sound casual and she silently hoped that he hadn't heard her voice quiver as she'd spoken these last few words. For some reason, her stupid emotions were getting the better of her; hormones perhaps. She snuck a glance at him out of the corner of her eye and noticed that his face had fallen.

"Daniel, really it's fine," she assured him. "Let's just forget about it."

He turned his head toward her, catching her gaze. His eyes looked pained, but he managed to nod in agreement.

"Sure," he said flatly and turned his beautiful blue eyes back toward the floor.

Neither of them said another word. Once again, they rode in silence as the car wound its way slowly through the streets of Manhattan. Soon the sounds of the city and the gentle hum of the engine became white noise and Betty felt her eyelids start to grow heavy. She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. Her thought was that she'd just rest her eyes for a moment or two, but as soon as she lowered her eyelids, exhaustion overcame her and within minutes she was asleep.

Daniel, who had been watching her fight against the fatigue, grinned slightly as he realized that she had finally lost the battle. As he watched her small form slump uncomfortably against the seat, he resisted the protective urge to reach over and pull her against him.

He continued to gaze at her, watching her chest rise and fall rhythmically until he himself began to feel sleep overtaking him. He was about to give in when he noticed that Betty had begun to shiver in her sleep. She had on a thin, short sleeved, cotton dress, which had been fine this afternoon, but the evening air had grown cold.

"That's the tricky part about spring," she had told him. "Warm days and cool nights; you never quite know how to dress." He chuckled at the memory. Evidently she didn't know, because she had forgotten to bring a jacket.

Daniel turned the heater up and looked around for a blanket, but as he suspected, he had no luck finding one. Being careful not to disturb Betty, he gently slipped an arm out of his suit jacket and slid it off. He took the charcoal grey garment, which was still warm from his own body heat, and laid it gently over Betty's tiny frame. She stirred slightly, but didn't wake. He tenderly tucked the jacket around her so that it would stay in place and then returned to his side of the car.

He continued to watch her like a protective father, no longer tired himself. Suddenly, he didn't mind the traffic and the long, slow drive it was creating. He was content to watch Betty sleep. She looked peaceful. Sleep had washed away the worry from her face. Those wrinkles of concern that had formed near the corners of her eyes were now smoothed away. Daniel felt momentarily relieved.

With Betty asleep beside him, Daniel was able to relax. The quiet also gave him time to think, but he wasn't having much luck organizing his thoughts. Perhaps tonight wasn't the best time to ponder what had happened back in the park; best to save that for another day.

A short time later, Daniel glanced down at his watch. It was getting late and they were nowhere close to Queens. Deciding that enough was enough, Daniel leaned forward to talk to the driver.

"Charlie," he said, addressing the driver whom he knew well and was quite fond of.

"Why don't you just drop us both off at my loft? At this rate we won't make it to Queens until morning anyway and I'm sure you'd like to get home to your family."

"Are you sure, Mr. Meade?" Asked Charlie.

"Yes," Daniel assured him. "It just makes more sense to do it this way. I'll take Betty home first thing in the morning."

"Alright," said Charlie. "If you're sure." And he turned the car in the direction of Daniel's loft.

They were able to make the trip in decent time. Charlie pulled up in front of the elegant glass doors that marked the entrance to Daniel's building. Daniel leaned over and touched Betty's shoulder.

"Betty, we're here," he said gently.

She didn't respond.

He tried again several more times, but couldn't rouse her. Short of shaking her, which seemed a bit over the top, he was fairly certain he wasn't going to have much luck.

Stepping out of the car, Daniel went around to the opposite side and opened the door. As gently as he could, he gathered Betty into his arms and lifted her out of the car. She sighed softly and leaned into his chest. Charlie ran around to offer his assistance. He grabbed Betty's purse and Daniel's coat, which had fallen to the ground. Closing the car door, he followed behind Daniel with their personal items.

"Good evening, Mr. Meade," said the door man, opening the large glass door for him.

"Thank you, Ben," said Daniel quietly.

"Would you like some help up to your apartment?" He offered.

"I may need a little help with the door," Daniel admitted, "and if you want to relieve Charlie of the things he's carrying, I'm sure he'd like to get home."

"Absolutely," said Ben and he quickly accepted the coat and purse from Charlie who then nodded good night to them both and left.

Ben rode up the elevator with Daniel and Betty. He glanced subtly at Betty and then grinned up at Daniel. Betty's face was turned into Daniel's chest and her hand rested lightly against him as though he were a soft pillow. Daniel ignored Ben's obvious, but innocent amusement.

Ben opened the door to Daniel's apartment and set the key on the side table.

"Do you need anything else, Mr. Meade?" He asked.

"No thank you, Ben. I appreciate your help."

Ben nodded and with another grin, he left the apartment, closing the door behind him.

Daniel carried Betty into his bedroom and placed her gently on the bed. He pulled off her bright red, Mary Jane shoes and set them next to his nightstand. He then did his best to tuck her in, pulling the large, downy comforter around her like a cocoon.

Once he was satisfied that she looked semi-comfortable, he left the room, pulling the door half way closed behind him.

He then made his way to the living room and the large, comfy couch that resided there. It would be a welcome site to him now as sleep began to curl its misty tendrils around him. Along the way, he kicked off his shoes and pulled the top buttons of his shirt open.

He settled himself onto the soft cushions of the couch and ran a hand through his chestnut hair. His mind desperately wanted to replay the events of the evening and scrutinize them, but his body protested. This time, he listened and barely had time to shut off the table lamp beside him before exhaustion engulfed him and he lost himself in a dream he wouldn't soon remember.


	2. A Storm in Spring

The morning sunlight filtered in, soft and warm, through the bedroom window. With a deep sigh, Betty stretched her arms toward the ceiling. Brushing the hair from her face, she blinked her heavy eyelids open. She scanned the room with the eyes of a dreamer still teetering on the border between sleep and waking.

As the hazy veil of sleep began to lift, Betty became more aware of her surroundings. Suddenly, her body stiffened and she sat bolt upright. Pushing herself free of the white, down comforter that surrounded her, she searched frantically for her glasses. Finding them on top of the nightstand, she pushed them onto her nose and gazed questioningly around the room.

Her heart beat wildly as her eyes confirmed what her mind already knew. She was not in her own bed.

She scrutinized her surroundings, desperate for recognition. A row of designer suits peaking out through the open closet door caught her eye. She knew them immediately, but this fact did little to calm her nerves. They were Daniel's suits. This was his loft, his bed. Her mind reeled as she tried desperately to recall the events of the previous night.

Peering down at herself, she realized that she was still wearing her same dress from yesterday. She couldn't decide if this was a good sign or not. Stumbling out of the large, comfortable bed, she found her shoes and slipped them on. Tiptoeing over to the door, which was already slightly ajar, she cautiously pulled it open.

The rest of the apartment was quiet. The soft, rhythmic ticking of a wall clock was the only sound that greeted her. She made her way slowly into the living room, almost tripping over a large pair of shoes that were lying haphazardly in the middle of the floor. Rounding the side of the large sofa, Betty discovered the sleeping form of her boss. Daniel was lying on his back with one leg stretched out in front of him, the other dangling idly off the side of the sofa. Seemingly as an afterthought, he had halfheartedly pulled a blanket off the back of the sofa, which was now draped untidily over his arms and part of one leg. Like her, he was still wearing his clothes from yesterday.

With something resembling a relieved sigh, Betty took a seat on the arm of the couch. She gazed at Daniel, her heart warming at the sight of him disheveled and exhausted. She couldn't help but admire what a gentlemanly gesture it had been to give her the bed, while he respectfully took the couch. She felt foolish for ever worrying about the circumstances of her arrival here. Daniel was such a good man; one of the best friends she'd ever had. She felt tears beginning to well in the corners of her eyes, but stubbornly forced them back.

Daniel stirred in his sleep. He groaned and shifted uncomfortably before slowly opening his blue eyes.

"Betty," he said in a groggy voice.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"You're up early," he said rubbing his eyes and pushing himself into a sitting position. "Have you been awake long?"

"No, not long," she assured him.

He paused for a moment, running a hand through his tousled hair.

"I apologize for holding you hostage," he joked timidly. "There was just no way we were making it to Queens last night."

"Yeah, from what I remember the traffic was pretty bad," she said, smiling sheepishly.

"I'm surprised you remember anything," he chuckled. "You were out like a light."

Betty's cheeks turned pink.

"I can't remember the last time I was that tired," she admitted.

"Well, it was a long day," he said.

She nodded, looking down at her hands and fiddling nervously with her fingernails. Daniel could sense that she was growing uncomfortable, so he quickly changed the subject.

Swinging his legs off the couch, he tossed the blanket onto a chair, stood up and announced, "So, now that we're both nice and rested, what do you say we have some breakfast?"

Betty looked up at him, her face unreadable at first. Then a small smile began to form on her lips.

"I could go for some breakfast," she admitted.

"Great!" Said Daniel, a little too exuberantly. "I mean, I'm starving. I barely had time to eat anything yesterday."

"Same here," said Betty, giggling a bit at his obvious excitement.

"Well, let's see," began Daniel. "I have a few things here."

He walked quickly over to the fridge and began scrutinizing its contents.

"I have eggs, milk, bread. I think there are a few bananas, maybe an apple or two," he said, eyeing his granite countertops. "We could make French toast or pancakes," he suggested. "I think I even have a waffle iron around here somewhere if that sounds appealing."

Betty smiled at his enthusiasm and then couldn't help herself.

"Daniel," she began with a Cheshire Cat grin. "Since when do you cook?"

He peered at her over the top of the refrigerator door.

"I will have you know," he said playfully, "that my Pop-Tart toasting skills are legendary."

"Ooh," she mimed in mock admiration.

"Of course," he added with a smile, "if you're too intimidated by my culinary skills, we could always go out for breakfast."

Betty laughed out loud. As she did, she felt an invisible weight lift off her shoulders. The air between them was beginning to clear and it felt good to be at ease with Daniel again. The enormous grin plastered across his face told her that he too was grateful for the reprieve.

"So what's the verdict, Miss Suarez?" He pressed her.

Without saying a word, Betty marched into the kitchen, leaned past Daniel into the fridge and pulled out a carton of eggs and a bottle of milk. Placing the two items on the kitchen counter, she looked back over at Daniel.

"I say, let's find that waffle iron of yours and put it to good use," she said matter-of-factly. "We've got our work cut out for us if we want to eat anytime soon. This breakfast isn't going to make itself," she added, pretending to roll up invisible sleeves.

Daniel beamed at her.

"Prepare to be awed," he warned her, pointing a playful finger in her direction. "Once you've eaten my cooking, life will never be the same."

Her eyes followed Daniel as he began rummaging through cabinets in search of the waffle iron.

"I'm sure it won't," she murmured.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The kitchen was a royal disaster. The granite countertops were now barely visible underneath the mess of utensils, white flour, kitchen towels, and discarded egg shells. Waffle batter dripped slowly off the sides of a large, silver mixing bowl that sat next to the now cool waffle iron. It had been quite a process, but breakfast had turned out better than either Betty or Daniel had expected. The two of them now sat, slightly reclined in their chairs, recovering from their large meal.

"I can't remember the last time I ate that much," Daniel said. "I feel like I'm in a waffle coma."

"Oh, me too," Betty groaned.

"I warned you your life would never be the same," Daniel added with a grin.

Betty laughed, rubbing a hand over her stomach.

"You certainly did."

All either of them wanted to do now was take a nice long nap, but Betty knew she needed to get home before her family started to worry about her. Luckily, they were aware of how crazy fashion week could be. Betty had warned them that if the show went late, she might spend the night in the city, so they probably weren't too concerned. Of course, when she made this statement, she had assumed that if she stayed anywhere, it would be at her old apartment with Amanda. She had never expected to end up at Daniel's loft. It was funny all the different twists and turns life could take.

"Daniel, I should really be getting home," she began reluctantly. "My family is probably wondering what's happened to me."

"Of course," said Daniel. "Let me make a call and I'll have a town car come pick you up."

He pushed himself to his feet and walked slowly over to the couch to locate his phone. As Daniel made the call, Betty began cleaning up the mess they had made in the kitchen. She didn't want to go home and leave Daniel with all the cleanup duties. She was busy wiping countertops and loading the dishwasher when Daniel came back into the kitchen.

"Betty, you don't have to do that," he said.

"It's no big deal," she assured him. "I don't want to leave you with this huge mess. I'd feel terrible."

Daniel placed a gentle hand on her arm and she stopped what she was doing.

"You're my guest," he said tenderly. "You don't have to do anything."

She held his gaze for a moment and then felt the nerves start to knot around her stomach. His hand still rested on her arm and it was starting to feel like scorching metal on her skin. She released the towel that she held and took a step back from the counter, causing Daniel's hand to slip from her arm.

"I'll go get my stuff," she squeaked and rushed out of the kitchen to find her purse.

Daniel sighed. "One step forward, two steps back," he thought. He wondered if she would ever feel truly comfortable around him again. He did his best to push the nagging worry from his mind.

A short time later, the intercom buzzed and the doorman announced that Betty's car had arrived. Daniel walked her to the door.

"Do you want me to ride back to Queens with you?" He offered.

"No, that's okay," said Betty. The last thing she wanted was another awkward car ride to look forward to. "But thank you," she added.

Daniel opened the door for her and accompanied her on the elevator ride down to the lobby. They walked out into the warm spring sunlight together and stopped a few feet in front of the black town car.

Betty turned to Daniel and without making direct eye contact said, "Thank you again for everything."

"It was my pleasure," he said and without thinking, he stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.

This time it was Betty who was tentative about the gesture. Although Daniel pulled her close and held her warmly, she seemed very distant. The irony was not lost on either of them. In the span of one day, they had somehow switched roles. Betty was now the one who seemed unsure of herself. Daniel wondered if they would ever be in the same place at the same time emotionally.

He released her and she stepped into the car. Closing the door behind her, he watched as the car drove away, waving one last time before it rounded the corner and was out of sight.

Daniel was uncertain of what was to come, but he felt happy. For the first time in his life, he could see a path forward. Perhaps he wasn't quite sure where that path ended, but he could now see quite clearly where it began and he intended to follow it. Without a doubt, the important things in his life we're beginning to come into focus.

Tilting his head toward the sky, he inhaled a deep breath of spring air. And with a bit of bounce in his step, he walked back into the building. For Daniel Meade, this was shaping up to be a beautiful day. Little did he know, somewhere off in a distant corner of the radiant blue sky, a grey storm cloud was brewing.


	3. Grey Skies

The next couple of weeks passed without fanfare. Life at Mode went on in much the way it always had. There was plenty of work to do and each new day kept Betty and Daniel on their toes.

Betty was relieved and grateful to have things back to normal. For a while there, she had been worried that the awkwardness she felt around Daniel would continue forever. But once normal, everyday life had set back in, things had pretty much gone back to status quo.

This particular day, Betty sat at her desk, thumbing through a large stack of contracts. She was concentrating so hard that she didn't hear the sharp, staccato, high-heeled footsteps approaching her desk.

"So, Betty, I've been meaning to ask you something." It was Amanda's sultry voice that floated into the room.

Betty didn't respond. She was too busy right now to get sucked into the world of gossip, but Amanda was undeterred. She took a seat on the corner of Betty's desk, crossing her legs and leaning back as though she were posing for a swimsuit ad. Despite Betty's obvious lack of interest or time, Amanda continued.

"What's the deal with Daniel these days?" Amanda asked in a slightly hushed voice as though she were probing for top secret information.

"The deal?" Betty reiterated without looking up. "What are you talking about, Amanda?"

"You know. What's going on with him? He's been acting so different these past couple of weeks."

Amanda picked up a bowl of pastel colored jelly beans off Betty's desk and began helping herself.

"No, I guess I don't know," Betty said, finally looking up. "You're going to have to be more specific." She was already frustrated with this conversation.

"Oh, please," Amanda sniffed. "Like you really don't know. You have Daniel radar, Betty. You know everything that's going on in his life."

Amanda inelegantly shoved her mouth full of jelly beans and continued, ignoring the confused look on Betty's face.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed how happy he's been lately," she said through a mouthful of candy. "He's making jokes in meetings. He keeps praising everyone for what a great job they're doing. I think he and Wilhelmina are even getting along."

"I don't get it," Betty conceded. "What exactly is so strange about that?"

"Are you kidding me?" Asked Amanda exasperated, slamming the bowl back onto the desk. "Come on, Betty. He's totally smitten, isn't he?"

Betty stared at her in stunned silence. "Smitten?" She gasped.

"Yes," said Amanda flabbergasted. "He's in love."

"He is?" Betty felt dizzy. "How do you know that?"

"Oh, please," Amanda scoffed. "You're talking to an expert, Betty. If anyone's qualified to tell when a man's in love, it's me. You can't be born with looks like this and not have more than a few men fall for you." She gestured up and down the length of her body as if to better illustrate her point.

"So who is she?" Amanda continued, leaning closer to Betty.

"I . . . I don't know," Betty admitted.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Amanda protested. "Betty, you're supposed to be my inside source for all Daniel related information." Now she was pouting.

"Since when?" Betty asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Since . . . I don't know. Since I decided you should be," Amanda huffed.

"Betty," she said seriously, grabbing Betty by the hands. "You've got to start paying more attention. I'm simply too busy to keep up with all the gossip on my own. I need your help sometimes."

The look on Amanda's face was pleading.

"Fine," said Betty in defeat. "If I find out anything, you'll be the first to know."

"Perfect," squeaked Amanda, jumping down from the desk.

"And Betty," she said in a serious tone. "You might want to reconsider this," she gestured in a large circle, indicating Betty's entire outfit, "if you ever want somebody to be smitten with you."

"Thanks, Amanda," said Betty sarcastically. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have real work to do."

Amanda smiled, popped one last jelly bean into her mouth, turned on her heels and swaggered off back to her desk.

Betty sat in stunned silence, staring down at the stacks of paperwork on her desk without really seeing them. Her mind could not process what had just happened. True, she had to consider the source of the information she had just been given. Amanda was famous for running off at the mouth, but then again, her nose for gossip was notoriously accurate.

Betty felt her stomach tighten. Every muscle in her body began to tense and she became frozen in her seat. The mail cart clattered noisily by and she vaguely noticed a hand toss a stack of envelopes into her inbox. As she sat, the normal white noise of the office began turning into a loud, chaotic symphony in her head. The room was starting to spin and she knew the feeling was only going to get worse. She had to get away.

Grabbing her coat off the back of her chair, she stuck the newly delivered stack of mail unceremoniously under her arm and began walking frantically toward the elevator. She passed Amanda along the way and stammered something about not feeling well and to please tell Daniel she had gone home. Amanda looked perplexed, but Betty didn't stop to explain herself.

She hurried into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby as hard as she could. While she waited anxiously for the doors to close, she stared nervously ahead, her mind now a frenzied jumble of thoughts. Clutching her coat tightly to her chest, she exhaled a shaky breath as the elevator doors finally swallowed her up and she descended.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

When Daniel returned from his morning meetings, he was surprised to find Betty's desk empty. Assuming she had taken an early lunch, he went back into his office and began sifting through proof sheets. When Betty hadn't returned an hour later, he grew concerned. He dialed her cell phone and heard it ring from her desk. This troubled him even more.

With growing concern, Daniel hurried down the hall hoping to run into someone who had seen Betty. He spotted Amanda sitting at the receptionist's desk and called out to her.

"Amanda," he said loudly and she looked up from filing her nails.

"Yes?" She asked, a little perplexed by the worried look on his face.

"Have you seen Betty?" He inquired, unable to hide his growing anxiety.

"Yeah," Amanda began, still eyeing Daniel quizzically. "She left about an hour ago. She said she wasn't feeling well and that she was going home."

Amanda resumed her grooming and added, "She asked me to tell you for her. I guess she didn't have time to leave a note. She ran out of here in a big old hurry."

"Well, is she okay?" Daniel pressed, worry evident in his voice.

"Sure. Why wouldn't she be?" Said Amanda matter-of-factly. "To tell you the truth, she didn't look sick, but she was definitely upset about something."

"Maybe I should go check on her," said Daniel. "I just want to make sure she's okay."

"Uh huh," agreed Amanda, but she was no longer listening. She was now preoccupied with applying a coat of neon pink polish to her fingernails.

Daniel began to head toward the elevators.

"If anyone's looking for me, tell them I went to check on Betty and that I'll probably be back later," he shouted in Amanda's direction.

Without looking up, she acknowledged his request by waving a row of bright pink fingernails at him. Daniel then hurried into an open elevator and disappeared behind the silver doors.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The black town car pulled up in front of the small house in Queens and came to a slow stop. Daniel opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. He'd had the driver take a small detour on the way over and he now held in his hand a large bouquet of pink daisies.

Walking up the front steps, he rang the doorbell. A moment later, the door swung open and he was greeted by a surprised Ignacio.

"Daniel," said Betty's father slightly puzzled. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard that Betty wasn't feeling well," said Daniel. "I just wanted to come and check on her."

"Oh," said Ignacio. "Of course. Come in."

"She left in such a rush," continued Daniel, stepping into the entryway. "I was really worried about her."

"Well, Betty's lucky to have such a caring boss," Ignacio smiled.

He led Daniel into the house. As they stepped into the living room, Daniel felt a wave of calm wash over him. He was suddenly flooded with feelings of warmth and family. It was as though the brightly colored walls had absorbed the essence of Ignacio and his children and were now radiating with their love and personality. It occurred to Daniel that no other place in the world felt more like home than this house.

Ignacio offered him a seat on the couch and then hurried up the stairs to find Betty. Sitting in the middle of the Suarez house, Daniel felt at ease. He liked it here. He liked this family, everything about them; the way they interacted, the way they stood up for each other, the fierceness with which they remained a family no matter what life threw at them. They were so wonderfully different than anyone he had ever known. They had accepted him with open arms the moment they'd met him and he would be forever grateful for their kindness toward him.

Daniel heard footsteps and glanced over to see Betty tentatively descending the stairs behind her father. She had a bath robe wrapped around her shoulders and her face looked pale. Daniel stood up from the couch and took a few steps forward to meet her. He shyly extended his hand, offering her the pink daisies he was holding.

"I heard you were sick and I was worried about you," he said softly. "Is everything okay?"

Betty hesitated slightly, but accepted the flowers. Seeing the genuine concern in his eyes, she suddenly felt very guilty for running away.

"Yes," she confessed, dropping her gaze. "Everything is fine. Daniel, I'm so sorry," she added guiltily. "I shouldn't have left like that without telling you."

"Betty, you don't have to apologize," he assured her. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Thank you," she said, now embarrassed. "I guess I just needed some personal time."

They both fidgeted nervously, not knowing quite what to do next. Ignacio, who had been observing the scene, felt the tension in the air and decided to change the subject.

"Daniel," he said jovially. "Betty tells me you're pretty handy in the kitchen. Do you feel like doing a little cooking this afternoon? I'm making my famous chile rellenos. I'll give you a free lesson," he offered.

"Oh, I'd love to, but I should probably get going," began Daniel. "I really need to get back to the office."

"Nonsense," said Ignacio. "They can survive without you for one afternoon. Besides, I'm offering to let you in on my secret family recipe. Not many people can say that. And even if you don't learn anything about cooking, you'll get a great meal out of the deal."

"Well," Daniel hesitated. "It would be nice to have an afternoon off."

Ignacio looked at him hopefully. Standing off to one side, feeling as though she was no longer part of the conversation, Betty stared at her father in shock. She could not figure out why he was so insistent on Daniel staying. She badly wanted to intervene and put a halt to this conversation before it resulted in Daniel agreeing to stay. Unfortunately, she had no idea what she could say that wouldn't sound fantastically rude and little did it matter because no one was asking her opinion anyway.

"Okay," Daniel decided. "Why not?"

"Excellent," exclaimed Ignacio. "Now let's get you an apron and we'll get to work," he added rubbing his hands together vigorously.

Daniel laughed at his enthusiasm and began following him into the kitchen.

"Dad," Betty said, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"Don't worry, honey. I'll take good care of him," Ignacio assured her. "He'll be back at the office tomorrow in one piece. I promise."

Daniel flashed Betty a wide grin. He was much more amused than she was.

"Why don't you go back upstairs and get some rest, Mija," encouraged Ignacio. "I'll look after Daniel," he said, patting Daniel on the shoulder.

Betty opened her mouth to protest, but the two men were already headed toward the kitchen; her father now busy educating Daniel on the finer points of Hatch chiles and Mexican cheeses. Acknowledging defeat, she shook her head, tightened her robe around her and headed back up the stairs to read a book and take a nap.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Daniel and Ignacio spent the afternoon peeling and stuffing chiles, while Betty stayed mainly in her room and tried to occupy her mind with anything but the man standing downstairs in her kitchen. A few times she had made her way downstairs for a glass of water or a magazine from Hilda's salon. When she did allow herself a peek into the kitchen, she saw an ecstatic Daniel, wearing a ridiculous looking apron and covered from head to toe in flour and egg wash. For a brief moment she couldn't help but admire how adorable he looked; his hair a mess, egg batter on his designer shoes and his face lit up like an enthusiastic child. He looked sublimely happy and completely at home in the kitchen with her father.

Back in her room once again, she stared at the pink daisies he had brought her, which now sat in a large vase on her night stand. Running the delicate petals through her fingers, she leaned back against her pillows. The sound of crinkling paper stole her attention away from the flowers. She reached behind her and pulled out the stack of mail she had brought home with her from the office. Sifting idly through it, she noticed a large manila envelope. It was addressed to her. Sliding her finger underneath the lip of the envelope, she tore it open. Inside she found a letter and a copy of a magazine.

Thinking nothing of it, Betty tossed the letter and the magazine aside. When she did, the letter fluttered to the floor. As she went to pick it up and throw it away, she realized that she vaguely recognized the name on the signature line. Glancing over the letter, it suddenly became clear that it wasn't in fact junk mail as she'd originally thought. It was a personalized letter to her.

Betty smoothed out the wrinkles she had made in the paper and began to read. Her eyes grew wider as she devoured the contents of the letter. As she finished reading, she looked up in astonishment. She didn't know what to think. She was about to pick up the letter and read it again, just to make sure she wasn't dreaming, when her father called her name from the bottom of the stairs.

"Betty, dinner is ready."

Jumping off the bed, she removed her bath robe and threw it onto a chair, not caring that she was dressed in sweats for dinner. Stuffing the letter inside the pages of the magazine, she shoved both underneath her pillow, glanced quickly at herself in the mirror and ran down the stairs, confused and excited all at the same time.

Dinner was waiting for her at the dining room table, as were Daniel, Hilda, Justin and her father. They looked up as she breezed in. Betty was acutely aware of how naturally Daniel fit into this quaint little family scene. He flashed her a satisfied smile from across the table and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Well, you look like you're feeling better," said Ignacio.

"Yeah. Must have been one of those four hour flus," said Hilda sarcastically.

Betty shot her a nasty look, but Hilda just smiled back at her.

Betty took a seat across from Daniel and they all began to eat. The conversation flowed freely and easily throughout the meal. Daniel laughed and joked with everyone effortlessly. He talked with Justin about Fashion Week and the new spring lines of the top designers. He asked Hilda about her salon and agreed to drop by for a haircut sometime soon. He and Ignacio joked like old friends, marveling at how well their afternoon cooking efforts had turned out. Anyone who didn't know differently would almost certainly guess that Daniel had been a part of this family for years.

Betty watched the scene with apprehension. She wasn't sure if she was ready for this. And although she hated to admit it, Amanda was right. Daniel was acting differently. As she considered the implications of the scenario that was forming in her mind, she felt the room begin to close in on her. And despite the joyful mood everyone else seemed to be in, she was unable to enjoy herself.

After dinner, Daniel helped clean up and then hugged Ignacio warmly, thanking him for the wonderful afternoon and the terrific cooking lesson. He said goodbye to Justin and Hilda who then wandered upstairs, leaving him alone in the living room with Betty.

"Thank you again for the flowers, Daniel," Betty said, hoping to avoid more serious avenues of conversation.

"Thank you for sharing your family with me once again," he responded sincerely.

"Well, they're crazy about you, Daniel," she said honestly. She couldn't really deny that fact.

"I'm pretty fond of them too," he smiled.

From outside, they heard a car horn honk. It was Daniel's car come back to pick him up.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," he said, reaching out and touching her arm.

She felt goose bumps rise on her skin.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he added softly. Then, leaning down, he brushed his lips softly to her cheek and lingered there for just a moment.

Betty felt her heart racing, but kept her calm. Straightening up again, Daniel touched her face gently with his fingertips, tracing over the spot where his lips had just been. Betty thought her heart might stop and couldn't decide if it was from fear or excitement; perhaps a little bit of both.

Daniel smiled at her, holding her gaze for one last second and then showed himself to the door. As he closed it behind him, Betty's mind wandered to the letter sitting quietly underneath her pillow upstairs.

Dear Miss Suarez,

Upon our recent meeting in your YETI class, I was very impressed by your knowledge of the fashion industry and your professional drive. Your spirit and energy are exactly what I'm looking for in a future writer. I have a career opportunity that I would like to discuss with you if you are at all interested. Please contact me as soon as possible. I look forward to hearing from you.

Ann Shoket

Editor in Chief

Seventeen Magazine


	4. The Winds of Change

The white corridors of the Mode building echoed with the sounds of a dying day. People were packing up to head home and the steady hum of the workday was gradually fading into soft silence. Betty stood in the hallway leading to Daniel's office, just out of sight. From the safety of the shadows, she watched him working diligently at his desk. She had been waiting here for ten minutes, trying to work up the courage to go in and talk to him. It wasn't something she knew if she could do, but she had no other choice.

With more than a little effort, she pushed herself forward, hesitating a few times before forcing herself to walk the short distance to his office. She knocked softly on the open door. Daniel looked up, his serious expression warming instantly into a smile when he realized it was Betty.

"Hey," he said cheerfully. "I thought you'd gone home."

"No, not yet," she responded, nerves evident in her voice. "Daniel, do you have a minute? I need to talk to you about something."

"Of course," he said, pushing his work aside and gesturing for her to sit down. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," she said hesitantly. "Well, sort of."

Daniel came around the desk and sat in one of the orange chairs directly in front of her.

"Betty, what is it?" He urged her gently.

Betty dropped her gaze to the floor, not knowing quite how to begin. This was one of those moments you could never quite prepare for.

"Daniel," she started. "You know I've been meeting a lot of new people in my YETI classes."

"Of course," he agreed. "You're always so excited when you get back. You can barely contain yourself. I have to admit, I get really excited for you when I hear about it."

"Oh," Betty smiled. "I'm glad all my chatter doesn't bother you. I know I get pretty talkative after a good class."

"Not in the least," Daniel assured her. "I'll always want to hear about your day."

Betty looked up at him, not sure if she could continue.

"What is it, Betty?" Daniel's eyes were kind and understanding.

"Well, about a month or so ago I got the chance to meet the editor of Seventeen Magazine," she began tentatively.

"Ann," Daniel said nodding his head. "I've had the opportunity to meet her myself. She's a very smart woman."

"Yes, I thought so too," Betty agreed. "I really thought highly of her and well, I guess she had a good first impression of me too."

"I'm sure she did," said Daniel without hesitation.

"Well, she . . . she contacted me again recently."

Daniel nodded supportively and waited for Betty to continue.

"Daniel, she's offered me a job," Betty confessed.

Daniel leaned back in his chair, his face unreadable. "Oh," he managed to respond. "Betty, that's . . . I don't know . . . How is that?"

"It's good. Actually, it's really good. I think it's an amazing opportunity," Betty admitted.

"What kind of job is it?" Daniel still seemed a bit stunned.

"I'd be working as the assistant to the celebrity fashion editor. Not only that, but she wants me to be in training as a writer."

"Wow," said Daniel soberly. "That really does sound amazing."

"Yeah," Betty agreed, feeling guilty that she was the source of the sorrow now apparent in Daniel's eyes.

"I always knew this day would eventually come. I guess I just wasn't ready for it." Daniel appeared to be working things out in his head. "At least you wouldn't be that far away," he said hopefully.

"Actually," Betty began reluctantly. "The job is in Los Angeles."

"What?" Daniel's face went white.

"The job she's offering me is out of their Los Angeles offices," Betty confirmed. "You know; young Hollywood fashion, a town full of movie stars. I guess it all makes sense."

"I guess it does," he agreed sadly.

Daniel's eyes searched the floor like he was hoping to find the answer there.

"Betty," he said softly. "You have to do what ever is best for you. If this is what you want, far be it for me to stand in your way."

"Thank you, Daniel."

"So I suppose you'll need to discuss it with your family before you make any final decisions," he added after a short pause.

"I already have," Betty said timidly.

Daniel looked up at her in surprise. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could find the words, Betty spoke again.

"Daniel, I've accepted the offer," she said quickly, hoping that the truth would be less painful if delivered swiftly.

"I see," Daniel managed to say after a moment, his face a mixture of emotions.

A second later, he reached out a hand toward Betty and tried to take her hand in his. Panicking, Betty jumped up from her seat, avoiding his touch.

"That's why I'm here, Daniel. I'm giving you my two weeks notice," she blurted out and stumbling away from the chair and out of Daniel's reach, she hurried toward the door.

She stopped just inside the door, catching herself on the frame. She turned her head over her left shoulder, but did not look directly at him.

"I'm so sorry, Daniel," she said, her voice shaking.

As she ran from the room, Daniel swore he saw a tear escape the corner of her eye; the same tear that now trailed its way down his cheek, landing in his open, empty hand.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Daniel knocked loudly on the large, ornate wooden door. Taking a step back, he wrapped his coat even tighter around him. The air had turned cold and the wind gusted angrily around him.

After a moment, he heard the lock click and a warm glow fell upon him as the door opened. On the other side, the tall, slender figure of Claire Meade appeared. As she laid eyes on her visitor, she stared at him in surprise.

"Daniel," she said in amazement. "What are you doing here?"

"Hi, Mom," he said solemnly. "I need to talk to you."

Claire looked taken aback, but nevertheless was happy to see her son, so she ushered him in from the cold. They made their way into the large, lavishly furnished sitting room and took a seat on the sofa.

"So what is it you need to talk to me about?" Claire asked, scrutinizing her son's face.

Daniel looked up at her, brow furrowed, not sure where to begin.

"I'm having a bit of an emotional crisis," he began, letting out a defeated sigh that was almost a laugh.

"I see," said Claire. "And what exactly would this crisis be?"

Daniel was staring down at his folded hands, finding it very difficult to meet his mother's inquiring gaze. Their family had never been much for having serious conversations. Emotion had always been something that was best kept inside. Breaking that habit wasn't going to be easy.

"It has to do with Betty," he finally admitted.

"Oh," said Claire with a hint of knowingness in her voice. She smiled at Daniel as he finally looked up, her eyes imploring him to continue.

"She gave me her two weeks notice today. She's moving to Los Angeles," he continued sadly.

"Wow," said Claire in surprise. "I had no idea she was looking to leave."

"Neither did I," agreed Daniel. "This whole thing kind of came out of left field."

"I guess so," said Claire. "So what did you say to her when she told you?"

"I told her she needs to do what's best for her," Daniel admitted, but he seemed unconvinced by his own words.

Claire placed her hand over Daniel's causing him to look her in the eyes.

"You don't want her to go," she said quietly. It wasn't really a question.

"No," he said in a voice so quiet, it was almost a whisper.

"It's just that we've been spending a lot more time together lately and it's been wonderful," he confessed. "I thought that something was happening, that we were . . . I don't know." Daniel looked frustrated and confused.

"Daniel," Claire began. "Does Betty know how you feel?"

"No," he admitted. "I'm not even sure I know how I feel."

"Oh, I think you do know," said Claire, squeezing her son's hand.

Daniel looked at her questioningly, but her expression said everything.

"Mom," he protested. "It's not my place to stop Betty from living the life she wants to live, the life she deserves. What kind of friend would I be if I tried to stop her from living her dream?"

"You can't stop her," said Claire matter-of-factly. "Betty's going to do whatever she wants to do, but before she makes her decision, don't you think she deserves to know how you feel?"

"I just don't want to screw up her life," Daniel said sincerely.

"How can telling someone you care about them screw up their life?" Demanded Claire.

"I don't want to confuse her," he said. "I don't want to stand in her way."

"But you care about her," repeated Claire.

"I more than just care about her, Mom," Daniel confessed.

"What then?" Claire urged him.

"I'm in love with her," Daniel whispered, his eyes beginning to glisten with tears.

Claire pulled her son into her arms, hugging him tightly the way she did when he was a small child. Daniel hugged his mother back, grateful for the shoulder to lean on.

"You're a wonderful man, Daniel," Claire said proudly. "Any woman would be lucky to have you love her. And you know how crazy I am about Betty. I couldn't love her more if she were my own daughter."

"Thanks, Mom," Daniel said embarrassed, his arms still wrapped tightly around her. "But I'm not sure how much of a catch I really am. She might be better off without me."

"How can you say that?" Claire demanded. "You're a good man, Daniel, and Betty needs to know how you feel."

"What if she leaves anyway?" Daniel asked fearfully.

"Then she leaves," said Claire. "But at least she would know the truth. Daniel, don't cheat yourself or Betty by not being honest with her."

"I'm scared," Daniel admitted. "I'm afraid of what's going to happen."

"True love is always a risky business," said Claire with a smile. "But once you find it, it's worth every bump and bruise it caused you along the way."

"I wish I could be as confident as you," Daniel laughed.

Claire pulled back so that she could look him in the eyes. Smoothing a hand over his hair, she smiled warmly at him.

"Everything is going to work out," she assured him. "It's hard to see that when you're in the middle of the storm, but trust me. Life has an uncanny way of working itself out."

"I hope you're right, Mom," Daniel smiled. "I hope you're right."


	5. Downpour

The rain washed down the windows in smooth, clear sheets obscuring the view of the city outside. The cold air seeped in through unseen channels and chilled the surrounding space. The grey of the sky seemed to match the color of Betty's mood. It was officially her last day at Mode.

The past two weeks had flown by and were now nothing more than a blur in Betty's memory. For much of her last days, Daniel had been a ghost. He had managed to find reasons to keep himself away from the office as much as possible. He simply couldn't bear the reality of her inevitable departure, or so Betty figured. It saddened her to think that he might not be around for her to say goodbye.

The hands of the clock advanced quickly and mercilessly. Betty placed the last of her personal belongings into a small cardboard box and sat down in her chair one last time. Letting out a deep sigh, she peered through the glass into Daniel's office. It was dark and empty. She felt much the same way at the moment. She couldn't help but imagine Daniel gazing out on her empty desk Monday morning; that sad, lost look in his eyes. The thought tore at her heart strings and she felt tears begin to form in her eyes.

Soon it was time. She stood up from her chair and pushed it gently back into place. With one last glance around the office, she picked up her box, took a deep breath and walked out, symbolically closing the door on her former life. She had said her goodbyes to most everybody this morning so that she wouldn't have to make a big scene when she left, but as she passed by the receptionist's desk, Amanda and Marc stood up to meet her.

"You didn't think you were going to get away that easily, did you?" Asked Marc, smiling ever so slightly. Betty smiled back at him and shuffled the box nervously in her hands.

"So this is really it," said Amanda, looking as though she might cry.

Betty stared at her in disbelief.

"Amanda, are you crying?" Betty asked.

"No," she protested. "These shoes are really tight. I haven't broken them in yet."

Betty smiled and they all stood in silence for a moment, not quite knowing what to say.

"Good luck in L.A., Betty," Marc finally said. "We'll miss you. It won't be the same around here without you."

"Thank you, Marc," Betty said. She could sense the sincerity of his words and was touched by them. He really was going to miss her.

"Just don't tell anyone I said that," he added quickly.

"I promise," she laughed.

Marc stepped forward and gave Betty a hug. It was warm and genuine. The gesture took her by surprise. It was rare for Marc to let his guard down like this. Betty was flattered and she hugged him back affectionately. As he released her, Amanda stepped forward and threw her arms unceremoniously around Betty, hugging her so tightly she could barely breathe. Amanda was now no longer able to hide the tears in her eyes.

"I'll miss you too, Amanda," Betty gasped.

"When you come back to visit, if you ever need a place to stay," Amanda sniffed. "Well, you know where to find me."

"Thank you," Betty said as Amanda released her. "I'll definitely be back to visit. New York and Mode will always be my home no matter where I go."

Amanda and Marc stepped back to let Betty go and with one last shared smile, Betty waved goodbye to them and headed for the elevator. As strange as it seemed, she was actually going to miss the both of them. She pushed the button for the elevator and turned to take one last look at the place she'd called home for the last few years. The sleek white walls glowed with warmth and the light of a thousand different memories; some good, some bad. For Betty, it felt like she was letting go of a small piece of herself; that she was somehow leaving a part of herself behind in this place. Perhaps that was how life worked. If you loved a place, a part of you would always remain there even if you could not.

The elevator bell dinged and Betty turned away from her old life to begin a new chapter. As the elevator doors opened, Betty began to step forward, but stopped abruptly. There on the other side of the silver doors, stood Daniel.

"You didn't think I was going to let you leave without saying goodbye, did you?" He had a sad sort of smile on his face.

"I was hoping you wouldn't," she admitted.

He stepped out of the elevator to face her. They both stared at the floor for a few seconds. Neither of them wanted to be the first to say goodbye.

"Betty," Daniel began. "As you may have noticed, I'm not good with goodbyes. But I couldn't let you leave here without telling you just how much you've meant to me. Not only were you the best assistant I ever could have asked for, but you turned out to be the best friend I've ever had in my life."

"Daniel," Betty said in a shaky voice. "You're my best friend too."

He nodded his head and smiled at the floor, trying hard to keep from crying.

"Betty," he began again. "You've changed my life. You've opened my eyes. And I know it may sound cliché, but you've made me a better person. God only knows where I'd be today if it weren't for you."

At a loss for words and on the verge of tears, Betty threw herself forward into Daniel's arms. He caught her and held her tightly to his chest, resting his cheek on top of her head. He shut his eyes, forcing back the tears and stroked Betty's hair with his hand.

"You've changed my life too, Daniel," Betty whispered.

Time seemed to stand still as they held each other, neither of them quite able to let go. The elevator bell dinged again; the sound reverberating around them like a gong. The sound rang painfully in both of their ears; a signal that their time was over. Daniel reluctantly released Betty from his arms, but kept his hand on her shoulder.

"Good luck, Betty," he said in a shaky voice. "You'll blow them away; of that I'm certain."

"Thank you, Daniel. For everything," she said. And rising up on her tip toes, she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. She thought she felt his body tremble with a silent sob as she did so.

Taking the last few steps into the elevator, she turned to him one last time and raised her hand in a heartfelt goodbye. His eyes never left hers as the elevator doors slid slowly closed.

"Goodbye, Betty," she heard him whisper as the doors stole her away.

"Goodbye, Daniel," she replied to her own reflection as the elevator descended, pulling her away from everything she knew and marking the beginning of a new chapter in her life.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Monday morning arrived like an ominous black storm cloud. Daniel didn't show up until after ten o'clock; a last-ditch attempt to postpone reality as long as possible. As he made the short walk to his office, he found himself hoping that he would round the corner to find Betty sitting at her desk like normal. Perhaps she'd had a change of heart and she would be waiting at her desk, smiling at him, but as Daniel stepped into the corridor, his hope faded. There in front of him sat Betty's empty desk, looking utterly lifeless in the cool morning light. Daniel stared at it for a moment as though it was a headstone, then he turned away and walked despondently into his office. Sitting down at his desk, he tried to focus on work, but all he could think about was the empty chair on the other side of the glass. What he really needed right now was one of Betty's pep talks, but there would be no more pep talks. His friend was gone.

Daniel glanced down at his watch. It was 10:30. In one hour, Betty would be boarding a plane to California and this whole nightmare would become a permanent reality. He rubbed his forehead, trying hard to dispel the myriad of thoughts that now plagued his mind. A voice at the door woke him from his anguish.

"I didn't expect to see you here today." It was Claire's voice that floated into his office.

Daniel looked up, relieved to see his mother's slender form in the doorway. He was glad she was here.

"Where else would I be?" He asked, sounding utterly exhausted.

"Oh, I don't know," said Claire with a smile. "Maybe at the airport."

"Mom," Daniel began, but he didn't have the strength to protest.

"Does she know?" Claire asked him. "Did you tell her?"

"I couldn't do it," Daniel admitted sorrowfully.

Claire nodded her head thoughtfully.

"Daniel," she said. "I won't presume to tell you what to do, but let me just say, it isn't too late." She pointed a slender finger at the clock on his wall. "Don't spend the rest of your life wondering what if."

Daniel stared at his mother. All of life's answers seemed to reside there in those warm brown eyes. She was right. What was he waiting for?

Standing up from his chair, he walked quickly around the desk and threw his arms around her. He hugged her tightly and then swiftly released her.

"Thanks, Mom," he said sincerely. "Now if you'll excuse me, there's somewhere else I'm supposed to be right now."

And with that, Daniel kissed his mother on the cheek and sprinted toward the elevator.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Betty sat quietly at the gate where her flight would soon be boarding. She stared nervously out the window at the waiting plane; butterflies in her stomach. She had only a small bag with her. The rest of her belongings would be arriving in Los Angeles sometime tomorrow as she had arranged, so for now she was traveling light.

She fidgeted nervously with the handle of her bright pink bag. She pulled out a book and tried to read, but her mind was too cluttered. Leaning back in her chair, she closed her eyes and tried her best to calm the thoughts in her head. 11:30 could not come soon enough.

Somewhere on the other side of the airport, a bright yellow taxi cab pulled up to the curb. Before the cab even had a chance to come to a full stop, the door swung open and Daniel jumped out onto the pavement. Flinging the car door closed behind him, Daniel sprinted frantically toward the sliding glass doors that marked the entrance. He ran past the ticketing lines, acutely aware that he had no game plan what-so-ever. He truly was flying by the seat of his pants.

As he approached the security lines, he realized there was no way they would ever let him through without a ticket. Shaking his fist in frustration, he turned around and ran back toward the ticketing counters.

He scanned the rows of different airlines until he found one with no line. Racing to the counter, he gasped out a breathless request.

"I need a ticket to anywhere," he panted.

"Excuse me," said the startled woman behind the counter.

"Your next available flight, whatever it is, I need a one way ticket," he clarified. "I don't care where it's going."

"Okay," she said slowly, not sure if he was crazy and she should be calling security.

"The woman I love is boarding a plane as we speak and I can't let her go without knowing how I feel," he told the ticketing agent, seeing the concern and confusion written on her face.

"Oh, I see," she said in relief and a knowing smile appeared on her lips. "I think we have a few seats left on our flight to D.C. It boards in 15 minutes."

"Thank you," he said gratefully.

Back at the gate, a woman's voice announced Betty's row for boarding. Standing up, Betty took a deep breath, hoisted her pink bag over her shoulder and got in line.

Daniel flew through the hallways like a madman; past the newsstands and fast food restaurants, past the souvenir shops selling miniature Empire State buildings. As he dodged carts and suitcases, his eyes frantically scanned the gate numbers. He knew he had to be close.

As he rounded a line full of people waiting to buy coffee, a bright flash of pink caught his attention. His breath caught in his throat. It was Betty. Without hesitation, he took off running again until he was close enough to call out to her.

"Betty," he yelled across the sea of people. She didn't hear him.

"Betty," he shouted again and this time she turned. The look on her face was one of complete bewilderment.

Now that he had her attention, Daniel locked eyes with her and closed the remaining distance between them at a slightly less frenetic pace. Betty stared questioningly at him as he made his way toward her. He was breathing hard and his shoes were tucked tightly under one arm. He hadn't even stopped to put them back on after passing through security. Clearly he had been in an awful hurry to get here.

Before she even had time to wonder what was going on, Daniel grabbed her by the hands. She stared at him with questioning eyes.

"Daniel, are you crazy? What on Earth are you doing here?" She managed to ask.

"I'm doing what I should have done a long time ago," he said.

Betty's heart began to race. She had never seen him like this before. She wanted to respond, to stop him before he said something crazy, but her body and her voice were frozen.

"Betty," Daniel began again. "I couldn't let you leave here without knowing the truth."

"What truth?" She asked with a nervous tremble in her voice.

Squeezing her hands tightly, Daniel looked deeply into her eyes. The second hand on the clock refused to tick its next beat and Betty felt time come to a halt. The world around her stopped moving and the noise of the airport was suddenly silenced. At this moment, they were the only two people in the world.

"Betty," Daniel said, almost in a whisper. "I love you."

Betty's eyes widened and she felt her heart begin to race. She stared at Daniel in disbelief.

"You mean the world to me, Betty," he continued. "The thought of losing you is absolutely unbearable. I'm not sure if I know how to live my life without you."

No longer able to contain her emotions, tears began to stream uncontrollably down Betty's cheeks. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I know my timing is horrible," he admitted, "but I couldn't let you leave here today without knowing how I feel. Betty, I've never been more in love with anyone in my entire life."

Betty's body shook with silent sobs. Daniel reached up and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, his eyes never leaving hers for a moment.

A loud announcement over the intercom jolted them back to reality. It was the flight attendant announcing the final boarding call for Betty's flight.

"Daniel," Betty said through her tears. "My flight is leaving. I have a job waiting for me in L.A." She gestured toward the plane that was about to leave without her.

"I know," he said solemnly. "And you have to do what's going to make you happy. I just couldn't let you go without knowing. The decision is still yours."

Betty glanced over at the door leading down the breezeway to the plane and then back at Daniel. He could see the battle raging in her head. His heart beat wildly.

"Last call for flight 597 to Los Angeles," announced the flight attendant.

Daniel couldn't breathe. He held tightly to Betty's hands, waiting for her decision, knowing that the next couple of seconds could change his life forever. If he had been a religious man, this would have been the part where he started praying.

"Daniel," Betty began, the inner turmoil evident in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I have to go."

The pain in his eyes was excruciating for her to see.

"I do care for you, Daniel, but I just can't handle this right now. I have a whole new life waiting for me in L.A. I can't pass that up."

As she said these last words, she stepped away from him, her hands sliding slowly out of his grip. Daniel held on as long as he could, but eventually had no other choice but to let go.

"I'm so sorry," Betty whispered and as she was no longer able to bear the agony in Daniel's eyes, she turned her back and ran toward the gate, slipping through just as the flight attendant was closing the door.

Daniel stood frozen in place, his eyes fixed on the spot where Betty had last been. The silence of the deserted waiting area rang loud in Daniel's ears. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. Reality would soon come crashing down on him, but for now he was lost in a haze of disbelief. Of only one thing he was certain. Betty was gone and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.


	6. A Winding Path

The salt wind wisped its way through the tall stands of grass, brushing the blades from side to side like rippling water. A narrow path marked by a faded wooden fence snaked its way through the waves of green as it wound its way down to the sea. After several twists and turns, the path opened up onto a pristine, white sand beach. Down to the water's edge the wind would carry its travelers, to a place where blue waves enticed visitors to stay and rest their weary feet. Along the shore, sand pipers flitted in and out of the surf, leaving their delicate footprints in the sand. Gulls overhead called out in a clear melody, adding a final touch to a perfect scene.

On a small, solitary hill overlooking the water, Daniel sat by himself, his bare feet buried in the sand. He sat in silence, looking out over the water; watching as the waves rolled up the beach and lapped at the sand. He didn't often come to the Hamptons. In fact, it had been years since he'd last been here. But sorrow took its toll on people in many different ways. He had needed to escape and the tranquility of this place had been partly what drew him here.

His mother owned a house just a short walk up the beach and she had been happy to let him stay as long as he wanted. He had arrived here hoping to forget. It seemed like the perfect place. On this stretch of sand, he would finally be free. That was one of the many intriguing things about this place. The wind and water had no memory. Each footprint, each blemish, each mark left in the sand was soon wiped clean by the white foam waves and the summer wind. The ocean forgave all sins and forgot all problems. It didn't care who you were or why you were here. It welcomed you with open arms and washed away your worries. Each day here felt like a clean slate and that's exactly what he wanted.

It had been a month since Betty had boarded the plane to California. Daniel's descent into depression had been swift and palpable. He had continued to come to work and do his job, but his passion was gone. To everyone who knew him, he seemed a shell of his former self. He simply refused to come to terms with reality. He felt more comfortable letting himself remain numb, rather than accepting the truth and the inevitable pain that came with it.

Realizing that he needed to get away, Claire had suggested that he take a vacation, someplace quiet, away from the city. She had offered him the beach house and he had readily accepted. So far, he felt more relaxed, but no less gloomy. The stretch of beach near the house was quiet and deserted. It was a private beach, accessible only to the handful of houses surrounding it, so Daniel rarely ran into anyone, which he was grateful for. He preferred the solitude.

He had taken to walking for hours along this beach. He would wade through the surf, staring at the sky, listening to the birds and the waves and watching as his footprints disappeared into the shifting sand. It was as though he was hoping the waves would wash away his memory too.

Today he had walked for a while and then settled himself into the sand. He watched for a while as the birds traced lazy circles in the sky. Then, he closed his eyes and let his mind wander. It soon took him away from this beautiful place; across a continent to another ocean where he imagined himself standing on a different beach. In this wonderful daydream, the sun was beginning to dip low in the evening sky. Soon it would reach the water's edge and melt into the horizon. But the blazing sky was of no interest to Daniel tonight. In his vision, he had his back to the water. Instead of gazing out across the picturesque ocean, his eyes were fixed upward, over the tops of the palm trees, on a balcony that jutted out from a red brick building.

The railing of the balcony was a tapestry of color from the pink bougainvillea vines that wound their way around its iron rungs. It looked like a scene from Romeo and Juliet, awash in the burning colors of the sunset. Daniel continued to watch the balcony with interest until a figure emerged from the building into the orange light. The balcony delivered her like a pair of open hands offering up a gift. She was even more beautiful than Daniel remembered. Her long dark hair reflected the blood red glow of the swollen sun as it caught the wind and fluttered around her shoulders. She looked like a beautiful golden goddess standing before him in the fading light.

Her eyes scanned the horizon, taking in the majesty of the evening before ultimately focusing on him. Her dark eyes burned into his soul as she stared wordlessly at him. She was too far away to speak to, too far away to touch.

Daniel tried, but found he couldn't move from the spot on which he stood. His feet were anchored in the sand by some unseen force. He reached out his hand toward the balcony, pleading with her. In a motion reminiscent of a surging sea, she threw her head back and laughed at the sky. Daniel leaned forward to catch the sound, but all he heard were the crashing waves behind him and the rush of wind across the sand.

Glancing back down at him once more, the beautiful vision raised a slender hand into the night sky and waved a slow goodbye. Her eyes smiled at him as she waved; twinkling as though they held some wonderful secret. Daniel tried desperately to call out to her, but his voice had left him. He watched helplessly as the figure once again disappeared into the darkness beyond the balcony. As she did, the last sliver of sun sank below the horizon and the world went dark.

Daniel woke from his daydream with a gasp. His chest was heaving and his heart beat loudly in his ears. That had been one of his mind's more vivid creations. He'd allowed himself to wander into these fantasies quite often as of late, but the visions had never been this strange or this powerful before. He placed a hand over his chest and tried to catch his breath. He knew he had to stop doing this to himself. These ridiculous daydreams weren't doing anything to help him heal.

Daniel laid his head in his hands and closed his eyes. As he massaged his temples, he had the sudden feeling that someone else was near and was watching him. Looking up, he scanned the landscape. There was no one there. He was alone. Just a rustling of wind he thought. But as he began to turn away, something caught his eye; a figure moving along the white fenced path toward the beach. It was a somewhat strange sight to him. He hadn't run into anyone for days. He waited curiously to see who would appear.

What happened next was something Daniel was not prepared for. He watched in slow motion as his vision from the sunlit balcony emerged from the sheltered path onto the beach. He knew for sure he was dreaming again. Her long, dark hair caught the wind and floated toward the sky, just as it had against the setting sun. The white cotton of her dress shivered as she stepped forward with bare feet, the sand beneath her toes betraying no sound. She moved like an angel across the sand; an ethereal nymph who would soon sprout wings and fly away. Daniel was frozen once again. As much as he knew he had to stop fantasizing, he couldn't push this vision away. It was too beautiful.

His angel came closer and soon into dramatic focus. Daniel fixed his eyes on her and refused to look away. She was magnificent. Her dark hair and red lips looked like splashes of pure pigment on a muted landscape. His eyes burned, begging him to blink, but he wouldn't risk letting her disappear.

She stopped a few feet in front of him and they both gazed at one another for several moments. Almost unconsciously, Daniel reached out a hand to touch her. When she mimicked his gesture and grasped his outstretched hand, Daniel jumped in shock. He began to wonder if he had officially descended into madness. He stared down at her hand and then back up into her eyes in disbelief.

"Betty?" He whispered.

Her eyes twinkled as he said her name.

"Hello, Daniel," she said in a voice so beautiful it made him want to cry.

She closed the distance between them and knelt down in the sand facing him. With her free hand, she gently touched his face, remembering each contour as her fingers traced his temples, his jaw bone, then his lips. Daniel drew a quivering breath as her fingers moved over his skin. If this was a dream, he never wanted to wake from it.

Reaching up, he covered her hand with his own. It was soft and warm. It felt so real. His fingers found her hair and wove their way through its dark strands.

"Is it really you?" His voice was barely audible.

Without answering him, she leaned forward, her eyes never leaving his. He was invaded by the scent of sweet flowers as she moved closer. Then suddenly, he couldn't breathe. All at once, her ruby lips found his in a soft kiss as sweet as summertime. He was paralyzed; his senses overloaded.

Pulling back, she cradled his face in her hands. She could feel his pulse racing against her finger tips. She smiled admiringly at him.

"It's really me," she said, eliciting from him a boyish grin.

It took him a moment to recover his voice, but finally he responded.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

Betty's eyes dropped briefly away from Daniel's before she answered.

"I came to ask for your forgiveness," she told him.

Daniel stared at her questioningly.

"Forgiveness for what?" He asked, genuinely confused.

"For being such a coward," Betty said, looking once again into his eyes. "For running out on you after you poured your heart out to me."

Daniel's face became visibly pained and he turned his eyes away from Betty. The agony of that day suddenly came flooding back and was now at the forefront of his mind.

"Daniel, I'm so sorry," Betty continued and Daniel could hear the pain in her voice. "You're my friend and you deserve better from me."

"That's why you're here," he said disappointedly. "You came here to apologize." Daniel's sorrow was palpable.

"No," Betty said quickly. "I mean, yes. I did come to here to apologize, but that's not the real reason I'm standing here on this beach."

Betty touched the side of Daniel's face and he looked up at her. At that moment, he saw something in her eyes, something he'd never seen before. He could feel the expression on his face transform into one of disbelief. He was suddenly hyper aware of his surroundings, of Betty's hand on his skin, of her breath on his face. Frozen in anticipation, Daniel unknowingly held his breath. Betty's dark eyes burned into his soul. Silence hung in the air like a torturous prelude. His heart refused to beat until he heard her next words.

"Daniel," she said tenderly. "I came here because I'm in love with you."

Daniel's jaw dropped, but he did not draw a breath. He stared at her bewildered.

"Daniel, I love you," she said again, a smile spreading across her face.

"I love you too," he said in astonishment.

An enormous smile lit up Betty's face and Daniel mimicked her emotion. His entire body tingled as though it was waking from a numb sleep. His once frozen body now pulsed with life and he ached to be closer to her. Reaching out, he cradled her face between his hands and stared into her eyes. Now it was Betty who held her breath.

Pulling her toward him, Daniel paused briefly, inhaling the sweet floral scent that rose off her skin, and then softly, slowly, he brushed his lips against hers. Searing heat burned his skin where his lips touched hers and it seemed to ignite a fire within him. Unable to control himself, he claimed her beautiful red mouth, kissing her deeply. His hands grasped at the white cotton of her dress, pulling her closer. Through the thin fabric, he could feel the delicate curves of her body and it sent fire through his veins.

His heart beat wildly and his breath came in short, shaky gasps. Betty could feel his pulse racing and she gently placed a hand over his chest. Daniel paused for a moment and took her hand in his own. This seemed to calm him, to reassure him that she wasn't going to suddenly disappear from his arms. Betty smile at him and Daniel kissed her gently, savoring the feel of her soft red lips against his own.

Betty wrapped her arms around Daniel's neck, pressing her body lightly against his once more. Daniel's hands found their way around her waist and then along her back. Cradling her against his chest, he lowered her into the sand beneath him. He gazed at her admiringly for a moment and then began to place delicate kisses on her eyelids, her nose, the curve of her jaw and the nape of her neck. He stopped on the pulse point of her neck, enjoying the feeling of her heart racing against his lips. Brushing his lips from her collar bone, all the way up the length of her neck, Daniel felt Betty shudder. He suddenly felt a surge of hot blood in his veins and pressed his lips to hers once more, this time a bit more forcefully. Over and over again he tasted her sweet lips until he was drunk on the taste of her. Utterly breathless, his mind was now spinning. She tasted like sugared strawberries and warm summer sunlight and he could feel his once frozen heart melting in her warm embrace.

Releasing Betty's lips, Daniel rested his forehead against hers in exhaustion. Rolling to one side, he laid his exhausted body down in the sand next to her and ran an admiring hand down the length of her dark hair.

"What about Los Angeles?" He managed to ask.

Betty looked at him with warm, glowing eyes. "I don't want Los Angeles," she said with certainty. "I want you."

Daniel brought Betty's hand to his lips and gently kissed it.

"You have me," he whispered to her. "My heart is yours."

They smiled wordlessly at each other for a few moments and then a flash of concern crossed Daniel's face.

"You're giving up a very big career opportunity for me, aren't you?" He said hesitantly.

Betty stopped him before he even had a chance to carry this thought any further.

"I have plenty of career opportunities right here in New York," she said firmly. "In fact, I already have another job."

"You do?" He said, his face a mixture of surprise and disappointment.

"Yes," she said, her eyes glinting mischievously.

"That's great." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "Where is this new job?"

"Well," she began slowly, almost enjoying the anticipation. "You might be seeing me around a bit more. I'm the new Features Editor for Mode."

Daniel stared at her gape mouthed.

"What?" He stuttered. "I don't understand. We hadn't even announced that the job was available yet. How did you even know about it?"

"Your mother called me," Betty said, grinning at him.

Daniel shook his head and chuckled to himself.

"Well that explains why she wanted me to hold off on posting that job," he laughed. "She was so vehement about it; said she had the perfect person in mind."

Daniel eyed Betty appreciatively. "It never crossed my mind what she might be up to. I'll have to remember to thank her."

"Well, let's hope your mother's instincts are right," said Betty blushing.

"They usually are," said Daniel with a knowing grin and with that, he sat up, pulling Betty with him. He got to his feet, helped her up and then offered her an arm.

"Can I interest you in some dinner?" He asked suavely.

Betty laughed out loud, her smiling face beaming back at him. "Are you asking me for a date?" She queried, her eyes twinkling.

"Absolutely," he said without hesitation.

"I would love that," she said, taking his offered arm.

Daniel smiled so widely that the corners of his mouth actually ached. He couldn't remember ever feeling quite this wonderful before.

Betty rested her head against his strong shoulder and together they walked arm in arm through the white sand, toward the house. The wind rushed around them as the blue surf rolled over their feet. Daniel glanced back briefly, admiring what were now two sets of footprints side by side. He smiled as he watched the waves fill each set of footprints with cool water. And as the sun began to glow red against the horizon, the trail of tiny pools ignited, reflecting the fiery sky. It was as though each footprint was now permanently burned into the Earth. Daniel had a feeling that the wind and water would not soon wash these memories away. The ember colored footprints glinted, making their promise to preserve this moment forever. Feeling contented for the first time in a long time, Daniel kissed Betty on the forehead and together they disappeared into the fading light.


End file.
